Muzaffarnagar district authorities have constituted 84 police teams to arrest the 244 absconding accused who are facing charges over the riots last September in the area, police said on 23 February.

SSP HN Singh told reporters that 84 police teams, each led by a gazetted officer, have been set up to arrest 244 absconding riots accused who have been identified by a Special Investigation Team.

While 220 of the accused are facing charges for murder, loot and arson, 24 of them are named in six gangrape cases. Police said they are facing resistance from locals as they try to arrest the riots accused residing in villages in the area. Thus, only two of the 39 accused in the Kutba killings have been arrested. Eight people, including a woman, were killed and 24 injured in the attack on Kutba village during the riots in September last year.

Out of the 24 persons facing gangrape allegations, only one has been arrested. Court has initiated attachment proceedings under provisions of CrPC against the absconding accused. More than 60 persons were killed and hundreds injured in last year’s communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas.

This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 1-15 March 2014 on page no. 1

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